By John Burckle
Do you have a neutral, strong or weak grip of the golf club, and can you read the signs of each one? As an instructor, the first thing I look for is the way my student holds the golf club. If your hands don’t hold the grip the correct way, you’ll never reach your full potential as a player.
The trick: Get the creases right.
In Image 1, I have my hands set in a neutral position. Notice how the creases between my forefinger and thumb on both hands point just to the right of 12 o’clock. This neutral positioning of the hands can result in a straighter ball flight.
If you have your creases pointed further to the right, towards 10 o’clock, then you’ve got a strong grip (Image 2), which can help you hit a draw.
If your creases point left towards 2 o’clock (Image 3), your grip is weak. This usually means fore right!
Getting your hands on the club in a position that works for your swing is essential to improving your game. Remember, the golf swing starts with correct grip.
JOHN BURCKLE has 27 years of professional playing experience, including the PGA Tour, Nationwide Tour, Asian Tour and local mini tour events. He has 20 years of teaching experience with students ranging from PGA Tour players to beginners. He is currently Director of Instruction at Golf Lab Academy in Santa Ana. Contact John Burckle at golflabacademy.com or 714-542-4653.
